This will be the second time that Lower Austria has hosted a World Cup event after Jauerling staged parallel slalom races in 2012.

Italy’s Roland Fischnaller, a three-time Olympian, will be the favourite for the men’s events as he currently tops the overall parallel table, which includes both the parallel slalom and parallel giant slalom, on 2,250 points, 590 ahead of Sochi 2014 silver medallist Nevin Galmarini of Switzerland in second.

Fischnaller enters this race in excellent form having won gold and silver medals in the parallel and giant slalom events in Cortina d’Ampezzo in Italy, prior to the Christmas break.

The home fans will be hoping local favourite Benjamin Karl does well as he makes his return following four weeks out with a broken ankle after a crash in the first parallel slalom event of the season in Carezza.

The four-time World Champion is looking forward to his return at a familiar venue.

“I have been racing minor Cups there [Lackenhof] before so I'm really looking forward to the World Cup events,” Karl, an Olympic silver medallist at Vancouver 2010 and bronze medallist at Sochi 2014, said. 

The favourite for the women’s event is undoubtedly Ester Ledecká of the Czech Republic, who is looking to secure her third consecutive World Cup parallel slalom title.

The 22-year-old, a double world champion, won the opening two giant slalom events of the season, giving her a 470-point lead at the top of the overall slalom rankings over Austria’s Sabine Schöffmann.

Schöffmann is in good form herself after claiming gold in the classic parallel slalom race in Cortina d'Ampezzo last time out and will be a threat to Ledecká.

Germany's two-time Olympic medallist Amelie Kober will compete in a World Cup event for the first time since March 2015 after completing her comeback from a series of injuries to her hand, both knees and her left ankle. 

After Snowboard Germany confirmed her return, Kober said: "I'm happy that I'm finally able to compete again.

"I'm very grateful for all the support over the past weeks, and I'm really looking forward to this coming weekend."

The competition in Lackenhof is due to start at 9am local time with qualifying events before the medal races at 1pm.

The team event, the first of the season, is scheduled to take place on Saturday ( January 6).